Comedy – Matthew Liedke on Film

REVIEW: Silly ‘Sheep Detectives’ will leave a smile on your face

Greg from “Succession” solving a murder with help from sheep wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card, but I’m not complaining.

Nicholas Braun, who earned Emmy nominations for his work in the HBO series, is part of an ensemble cast in this family feature. Braun stars as a police officer in a small town named Tim, who is suddenly tasked with looking into the mysterious death of a local shepherd, George Hardy (Hugh Jackman).

However, he’s not the only one investigating George’s demise. A murder mystery fan, George often read detective novels, and did so out loud to his flock of sheep. The group of animals, led primarily by Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), feel obligated to get justice for George as well, and try to help the case by relying on what they learned in stories.

REVIEW: ‘Prada 2’ succeeds with stars, news industry intrigue

When a sequel that’s not part of an ongoing series or trilogy comes out, it’s sometimes fair to feel trepidation. That’s not quite the case in a film like this, though, with such a strong cast.

One member of that cast is Anne Hathaway, who reprises her role of Andy Sachs. Now an established and respected journalist with two decades of experience, Andy is at what should be a good point in her career. That is until she learns that herself and the rest of the newsroom at the publication she works for have been laid off.

As luck would have it, the ownership of Runway, where she was once an assistant, needs some editorial guidance after a scandal breaks out. To help navigate things, ownership of the publication hires Sachs as the new features editor to help right the ship. However, the move isn’t warmly received by Runway’s Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).

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REVIEW: ‘Normal’ goes big with action, humor with nominal impact

Bob Odenkirk has now starred in a trio of action flicks, but he still has a way to go before he matches the older grizzled action hero status Liam Neeson has.

In Odenkirk’s latest film, he portrays Ulysses Richardson, a law enforcement officer who’s taken the role of temporary Sheriff until the county of Normal can elect a new one. The county seat is also named Normal, and that’s where Ulysses finds himself trying his best to manage a smooth transition to a permanent replacement.

It’s the latest in a string of temporary jobs he’s taken since a traumatic experienced flipped his life and marriage upside down. But his latest stint starts to look less mundane than he first thought. As his law enforcement instincts kick in, he begins noticing suspicious things, and it leads to a thrilling ordeal he didn’t expect.

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REVIEW: Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ is an enjoyable mix of science and nature

Pixar has had a mixed track record in the 2020s, but fortunately, it’s new release is one of the better flicks from the animation studio.

The latest feature from the Disney affiliate centers on Mabel (Piper Curda), a college student who cares deeply about animals and nature. Her appreciation puts her at great odds with her city’s mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm), who intends to develop a highway bypass. Doing so would mean the destruction of a natural area Mabel holds dear.

One night, when looking for solutions with few options left, she learns of a program at her college which has developed life-like robots, one of which looks like a beaver. The robots are controllable by humans with a neural link, and Mabel takes control of one to connect with animals and lead them in taking back there home under threat.

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REVIEW: ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ is an intense, anxiety-filled ride

Alas, this is not a martial arts movie. If that were the case, it would probably be, “If I Had Legs I’d Roundhouse Kick You.”

Instead, this movie focuses on a vastly overstressed mother, Linda (Rose Byrne), who doesn’t have much support in what she’s going through. Her daughter has a stomach disorder, meaning she requires the use of a feeding tube each night, and has to reach a certain level of weight for an operation.

While dealing with that, a massive hole breaks open in the ceiling of her apartment, with an accompanying busted pipe, leading to a flooded home. Oh yeah, and her husband is absent as he’s working away from home, plus she’s strained at work as a psychologist with a mix of difficult patients. Needless to say, it’s a difficult period we find the protagonist in. Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ is an intense, anxiety-filled ride”

REVIEW: ‘No Other Choice’ is an absolutely brilliant black comedy

I know job hunting can be tough sometimes, but, yeesh.

That’s mainly what the lead character is going through in this new dark dramatic comedy from South Korean director Park Chan-wook. The film stars Lee Byung-hun as Yoo Man-su, a blue-collar paper factory worker who seems to have everything.

He lives in his childhood home he bought back, has achieved a solid middle-class status, and supports his wife Lee Mi-ri (Son Ye-Jin), as well as his two children and twin golden retrievers. That all changes when he, and several others are laid off from the factory. It leads to months of unemployment, hard times, and desperate decisions for the movie’s protagonist.

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REVIEW: ‘Nouvelle Vague’ is an enjoyable look back at French New Wave

Well, this was a fun little trip down memory lane in film classes.

“Nouvelle Vague” is a movie all about the making of the 1960 classic film “Breathless.” That 60s picture is a staple of cinema history, notable for its revolutionary methods incorporated in its shooting. Guillaume Marbeck stars as the director of “Breathless,” Jean-Luc Godard, who pushes boundaries with his unorthodox approach.

Joining in the production as the two leads of his film are Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch) and Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin). Both performers express frustrations with Godard’s take on directing, as do members of the crew, but they stay committed to make the picture become a reality.

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REVIEW: ‘Jay Kelly’ is a forced, over-sentimental melodrama

Just a short while after reviewing “Sentimental Value” and here comes another film where a cinema artist tries to reconnect with his kids.

In “Jay Kelly,” George Clooney stars as the titular character who’s built a career as a celebrated actor. Like Clooney himself, Kelly has managed to star in both major blockbuster releases and arthouse flicks, allowing him to develop a strong reputation.

In the twilight of his career, one can see he’s had a successful run. However, the same can’t be said outside of the studio lot. He has a strained relationship with his daughters, and his assistants, namely Ron (Adam Sandler), are getting tired of his shenanigans. He makes an attempt to turn things around, though, with a trip to Europe where one of his daughters is visiting.

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REVIEW: ‘Rental Family’ succeeds thanks to Fraser and sincere writing

Who would have guessed we’d have two films this year with a guy pretending to be a member of a family? It’s like “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” again.

OK, in reality, unlike “Roofman” with Channing Tatum, the lead character in this movie isn’t a criminal on the run. Instead, Brendan Fraser stars as actor Phillip Vandarploeug. Once able to get steady work in Japan, acting in commercials and TV, Phillip’s job prospects have dried up.

Looking to keep his career rolling, he decides to take a gig with a different type of agency. Rather than acting in media productions, the company he starts working for has him portray relatives of family members. Skeptical at first, Phillip begins to build connections in the role.

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REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On’ mostly works, though doesn’t stick landing

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel if Will Arnett wasn’t available for this flick, Jason Sudeikis probably could have filled in well enough.

Anyway, Arnett lends his talent in this flick to play Alex Novak, a man whose marriage appears to be coming to a complete end. Alex agreed to separate from his wife Tess (Laura Dern), and a divorce appears to be on the horizon.

With his relationship likely over, and subsequent strain on being a dad to his two boys, Alex finds himself struggling to process the situation. He finds a way to channel his thoughts, though, in going to an open mic night and giving stand-up comedy a try. Fortunately for him, it ends up working fairly well.

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